Father's Day 2017

Did you remember Father's Day is this Sunday, June 18?  If you haven't made a card already, I highly recommend the Jack - Cardmaking Stamp Set + Thin Cuts bundle.  The combination of the stamps and Thin Cuts make for such a quick and easy card!

I stamped all the elements separately, lined them up with the Thin Cuts, and cut them with my Cuttlebug all in one shot.  Using alcohol markers, I did some simple coloring of the bear.  The card base is made from Juniper cardstock, which I then layered with Black cardstock and Jack B&T paper.  I simply used the Black and White Dots for the finishing touch.  Easy peasy!

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Hello Foxy - June 2017 Stamp of the Month!

I'm just loving the new trend of critters to color!  The June 2017 Stamp of the Month, Hello Foxy, brings some very cute, new fox critters to practice your coloring and experiment with different coloring mediums.  I chose to make a "Thank You" card using this adorable set and combined it with my favorite new paper pack, Jack.  Using alcohol markers I colored in the fox and wreath after stamping in Memento black ink.  I popped the fox and the black mat with foam tape to add some dimension.  For finishing touches, I used the Black & White Dots and the Whisper Thick Twine.  Finally, to add just a little pop, I used a white gel pen to add a few dots to the middle of the flowers.

Take a look at all the cute images in this set!  What can you make with these?

Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set, available for one month only, for just $5 - that's over 70% off retail!  When you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products, you qualify for this special Stamp of the Month pricing.  Otherwise, you can purchase this set outright for $17.95.

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Birthday Bear

My father had a birthday recently, turning the sophisticated age of 87!  In considering a birthday card for him, it wasn't a stretch to immediately think of the Jack - Cardmaking stamp set. I knew I wanted to pair it with the Jack paper pack.  My father lives in plaid flannel, even in the summertime.  And of course covers his head many times with a wool cap. So imagine my surprise to find that the hat from one of the papers from the Jack paper pack fit nicely on the bear's head!  I simply cut it from the paper and adhered it to the bear.  I then added some liquid glass to the hat (and heart) to give it a little pop.

Here is a closeup of the bear:

And here is the full card:

This won't be the last time you'll see this cute bear or paper! 😉

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It's a Prickly Pear Birthday!

Although I love the obvious cute stamp images inspired by the Prickly Pear paper pack, my favorite thing is that it uses my absolute favorite color - Emerald!  Pictures do not do this color justice.  If you pull out a sheet of cardstock, it positively glows a beautiful deep emerald green!  I hope it never retires.  😊

As my nephew's birthday approached, I knew I wanted to use one of the more vibrant, fun new paper packs that were in the latest Idea Book.  The Prickly Pear paper pack fit right in.  Love the colors and cacti!

I also knew my nephew would love the cutesy llama and cactus images from the Prickly Pear - Cardmaking Stampset and Thin Cuts, despite the fact that he turned 32.

He totally loved the card I made for him.  That was quite the compliment since he is a very talented artist!

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Bear Hugs and Flash Sale

I admit it, I have a fondness for bear related things. I used to love the old Yogi Bear cartoons. Remember the people coming to Jellystone Park saying "Look at the bears! Look at the bears! Look at the bears!" when seeing Yogi and Booboo? In fact I have called my son "Bear" ever since he was an infant and continue to call him that to this day at 27 years old.

So when I saw the Jack - Cardmaking stamp set in the 2017 Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book, I knew that would be my first purchase. I have now made a number of bear cards. Here is the first, and one that I made for my son:

I colored the bear using alcohol markers.  Using the Wood Slats Embossing Folder, I made an easy but effective background for the bear.  I also heat embossed both the sentiment and the heart to add some pop.  The White Dots were just the ticket to put the final finishes on the card.

Moving on to the Flash Sale, Close To My Heart has a 24-hour Flash Sale going on right now!  The sale is while supplies last at 30% off and includes a variety of crafting items and bundles.  Check it out here before everything is gone!

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